Everton to respond to United's Rooney offer

Everton were today expected to respond to Manchester United’s offer for Wayne Rooney after the Old Trafford club joined Newcastle in the bidding war for the England striker.

United have bid £20m (€27.9m) for the 18-year-old, matching the bid by Newcastle which has already been rejected by the Goodison Park club.

Newcastle’s interest in Rooney has resulted in further unrest on Tyneside, with Craig Bellamy stating he would not be prepared to sit on the bench if the England striker joined the Magpies.

That has provoked an angry response from Newcastle manager Sir Bobby Robson who is expected to increase his offer for Rooney to £23.5m (€34.9m).

Old Trafford boss Alex Ferguson moved into the race to sign Rooney when United faxed their bid to Everton yesterday.

Ferguson said: “We will discuss the matter on Thursday. We have made our intentions clear that we would like the boy. This is the first time we have actually said that.

“Don’t forget Everton have not said he is for sale. We have to wait to see what they say, to be honest with you.”

But, with the transfer deadline next Tuesday, Everton chairman Bill Kenwright has done nothing to quell speculation over Rooney’s future by admitting he could not guarantee the Euro 2004 star would be an Everton player next week.

Kenwright knows manager David Moyes may be tempted to let Rooney go if a satisfactory bid is made.

“Whatever happens with the sale, if it happens, it will be down to the manager,” said Kenwright.

“It’s the manager’s final decision,” he told Sky Sports News. “There seems to be an inevitability about the fact that Wayne Rooney will be playing somewhere else.”

Kenwright is desperate to keep Rooney at Everton but remains realistic the player could be moving on.

He said: “I would love him to be at Everton when he’s a granddad. I can’t tell you if he will be at Everton next week.”

Kenwright, who has been trying to bring new investment into Goodison Park, stressed the club did not need to sell Rooney.

“We don’t need to sell Wayne Rooney, we do not need to sell him,” added Kenwright. “I sincerely hope he has not played his last game for Everton. There is no greater feeling in the world than when Wayne Rooney smashes the ball into the net.

“If I’ve seen that for the last time in an Everton shirt that will be a heartbreaking moment for me, as for many other Everton fans.”

Rooney’s possible move to Newcastle prompted Bellamy to consider his own future.

The Welsh international said: “I love playing for Newcastle and I love everything about the club, but if Wayne Rooney comes, I will have to review my position because I am not sitting on the bench anywhere.

“I like Wayne Rooney a lot because he is a great player. He is my sort of player and it would be great for the club, but no good for Craig Bellamy. If he does come, I will have to consider my position.”.

Bellamy’s public admission has drawn a furious response from Robson.

“What Craig Bellamy should do is just honour his contract, all right? That is what he should do,” said the Newcastle manager. "At the moment, he is doing too much talking. He had a bit to say yesterday and he has signed a contract to play for Newcastle United Football Club.

“Honour the contract, Craig Bellamy, honour the contract like everybody else has to and just concentrate on playing and scoring goals for this club. If he is publicly saying that, then I am publicly replying to him, but I will tell him that face-to-face. What does he want to do? Does he want to be the manager or does he want to be the player?”

Robson’s remarks were a reaction to an interview given by the striker to Sky Sports as he came off the pitch at the end of the 2-2 home draw with Norwich in the Barclays Premiership last night.